Let me start by saying everyone has their own techniques for getting through the dreaded TSA line.  I travel by myself with my son so this is what has worked best for us!

First things first, make sure your boarding pass has the statement “infant in arms” if your child will be sitting in your lap.  If it’s not there, don’t fret!  An agent can add it for you or you can do it yourself at the electronic kiosks for your airline. Along with that, the ID question always comes up.  Do you need it for your infant?  I have yet to be asked for my son’s ID but I always have a copy of his birth certificate and his passport in my backpack.  The main thing is that your boarding pass has “infant in arms” or you have an infant ticket.

Before I get in line I make sure I have my act together to make the process as easy as possible.  I wear Mack in a Manduca carrier on the front and the diaper bag on my back (or sitting in the stroller).  I think it’s easiest to wear your baby that way your hands are free to get everything on the security belt.  I get any baby supplies that might need extra screening out and set them in the stroller.  For me, that would be 1 or two bottles of milk and Mack’s food packets.  Remember, you are allowed to bring baby supplies through that go over the typical 3oz limit.  You’ve got to be able to feed your baby!

If you don’t have TSA Pre-check, ask a TSA agent if there is a family lane.  Minneapolis airport has one in Terminal 1next to the Delta ticket counters.

Since I usually travel by myself, it was important to have a stroller that I could fold one handed.  I use a City Mini stroller by Baby Jogger.  It fits on the security belt and folds easy!  If you have a stroller that doesn’t fold down and fit, no big deal!  Let a TSA Agent know, and they will push the stroller through themselves and do a wipe down/pat down to make sure you’re not hiding anything.  This works great because they tend to find missing pacifiers and toys!

If your little one is still in a carrier car seat, you can absolutely take it through security.  You’ll need to put it on the security belt if it fits.  Just make sure all off the blankets, toys and such are out of it.

Whoever is wearing baby, will go through the regular metal detector.  You will be asked to step to the side once you’re through and wait for an agent to do a hand check.  It’s a quick easy test just wiping down the palms of your hands to check for explosive residue.

Once in a blue moon I get a TSA agent that gives me a hard time about the food packets, but they need to allow you to bring it through.  They should give you the option of either opening it and getting it tested or they can do an explosive wipe down test.  I think the later is easier because once you open a food packet you only have so long to eat it.

As far as bottles go, half the time my milk has been tested and the other half they don’t even question it.  If they do a test, they just drop it in a machine in the bottle and it’s done in 1 minute or less.

Hopefully these tips make your TSA experience slightly less painful.  I always plan for extra time and expect everything to get searched. As long as I do that, I’m not stressed going through and the whole process is pretty simple.